Bags are scanned and searched as hundreds of party activists arrive to hear Tony Blair address the Welsh conference for the last time as PM and Labour leader.

Near the entrance a small group of members, Welsh Labour Grassroots, are distributing flyers proclaiming, “Why we need a third term”.

But the upcoming Assembly election doesn’t mean they must curb their feelings about Mr Blair, whom, they claim, threatens Welsh Labour’s achievements.

The leaflet says: “Blair’s unhinged foreign policy, his attacks on the public sector, his very presence in Downing Street, are our biggest vote losers. He has to go now before he does any more damage.”

Inside, Mr Blair delivered full support for Morgan’s election agenda – praising his strong leadership and warning of the Tory threat in a delivery described as “right on message”.

Later, in an exclusive interview, he smiled when asked if he was an election liability to Labour in Wales.

“I respond to it by saying the Welsh election is going to be about Welsh issues and it’s going to be led by the Welsh Labour Party,” Mr Blair said.

“Actually, it’s only the partnership between the UK and the Welsh Assembly that has delivered the strongest economy Wales has ever seen. So we should keep that going.”

Did he ever consider standing down before the elections?

“No. I think the important thing is that we fight the election on a unified basis, really, and I honestly think that most people realise that this election is about the economy, it’s about schools, it’s about the NHS, anti-social behaviour and law and order and I think most people in Wales get that really.”

The Daily Post has collected thousands of signatures already as part of our Save our Post Offices campaign, yet his government intends to close thousands more. Why?

“In fact we are investing some #1.7bn in the Post Office network, but the reason why there’s a problem is that four million fewer people are using the Post Office,” Mr Blair said.

“So we are also looking at working with the Assembly as to how we make sure we retain services, particularly for people in rural areas.

“But there is a reason why this process has been going on now for well over 20 years, and that’s because more people are using bank accounts.

“Now we are working very hard with the Post Office to give them a viable commercial future, because they don’t want to be depending on subsidy either. But no one can quarrel with the big investment that’s going in.”

But hasn’t the government encouraged the use of bank accounts and undermined the financial viability of post offices?

“They aren’t encouraged, they choose, I’m afraid and that’s the problem, you know, and the difficulty, particularly with the new generation of pensioners who after all were in their 20s and 30s in the sixties they tend to use bank accounts.

“We are looking to try to work with the Post Offices in the next few years to see how we can make this huge investment we are putting in pay off. It’s a difficult situation for reasons that really aren’t in the Government’s control.”

With talks over the future of the Airbus consortium so vital to 6,000 jobs, training opportunities and the economy of North Wales, what was his view?

“I think that Airbus has got a great future. And the workforce is second to none. Now we are working very hard with the other governments and the European Commission and the company as well as the unions to try and make sure the future of the company is secure.

“We just have to work on this the whole time. The Airbus 380 has got some 2,000 orders. I think it will be fantastic, but here are some short-term issues that need to be sorted out.”

But what about the future investment required in new wing technology?

“We have obviously given a huge amount of investment from central government and I personally took those decisions, so we will keep the support coming,” Mr Blair said.

What’s your legacy, do you think, for Wales?

“I think the most important thing is the strength of the economy, the massive investment and improvement in schools and the NHS and you know the reduction of poverty for people particularly pensioners and young people so...and of course there’s devolution.”

People still talk about Iraq being your overriding legacy.

“Look that’s another issue. But you know if you’re looking at Wales and what’s happening to Wales I think people will look at the state of Wales today compared to 10 years ago and ask is it in better shape and I believe it is.”

More Welsh troops are to be deployed in Iraq, two battalions of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, what’s your message to them and their families?

“The Welsh regiments do a great job but I mean they’re proud to do it and we should be proud of them.”